But Where is Home?
by Jem Kallop
Summary: Ryou thought he had escaped, but the spirit has returned armed with one final plan for vengeance. Will Ryou fight him, or will he realise that the spirit is the one to need help? Tendershipping, for an anonymous prompt on tumblr.


**Here is some angsty canon tendershipping, set before the Millennium World arc. This is my first try at writing this pairing, so I hope I do ok. For an anonymous asker on tumblr, I hope you like it ^_^**

 **Yu-Gi-Oh! and its characters are Kazuki Takahashi's.**

 **Prompts (I used both xD):**

 **12) You can't protect me**

 **19) Come home with me**

Ryou had his fists clenched, his brown eyes set and determined. He was, as ever, in his soul room, locked away in a little corner of his mind and surrounded by the overpowering presence of the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. Not being in control of his body was starting to feel more familiar than actually being able to move of his own accord; he wasn't sure how he would react if he ever did gain full control again.

Ryou's eyes narrowed a little at that thought. He had thought, for a while, that he was finally free. The malicious voice whispering in the back of his mind had been gone for a long time – or at least, it _felt_ like a long time – and Ryou began to dream that he might finally be able to live the life he always wanted, without being feared by the ones he called his friends, or crippled by large memory gaps that left huge holes in his life.

But it hadn't lasted long.

When Ryou felt the familiar twists of darkness in his skull, he fled to a church – a sanctuary where he thought he would be safe. Alas, it wasn't to be. The Spirit had crept into his mind again, that deep laugh both achingly familiar and shudderingly terrifying as it shoved its way back into his head. Ryou's consciousness had succumbed, no matter how much he fought, and he once again found himself drifting into his soul room.

"I should have known you'd come back," Ryou murmured bitterly, half to himself. He glanced around the walls of his mind palace, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. "I should have known time to myself would be too good to be true."

To Ryou's surprise, the Spirit actually gifted him with an answer, his low, wry voice thrumming through the shadows surrounding Ryou. _Ah, in your dreams, host._

Ryou glared. "So you're actually talking to me this time, hm?"

 _But of course. It would be rude to ignore my landlord, after all._

Ryou huffed, folding his arms and striding restlessly around his mind palace. "I'm not your landlord."

 _No?_

"No."

 _Hm, well, your decision. I was planning on paying you rent, but if you'd rather I didn't give you anything, I suppose that's up to you._

Ryou paused, his eyes narrowing. Suspicion clouded his every thought. "No way. You wouldn't just give me something."

 _So untrustworthy, landlord. No wonder you're my reincarnation._

"I'm your what?"

 _My reincarnation. Did you not know?_

Ryou blinked. Surprise fluttered like a flash of cold water down his spine, leaving tingling chills in its wake. He swallowed. "Your … no, I can't be."

 _And why not?_

"I am nothing like you!" Ryou responded hotly.

A low, deep chuckle rumbled through the air of Ryou's soul room. The air shimmered around him, coalescing into a shape like a warped reflection of himself that slowly solidified into the form of the Spirit of the Ring. He strode closer, a familiar smirk at his lips.

Ryou felt another shiver ripple through him.

"So you think you're nothing like me?" The Spirit's smirk twitched, his voice lowly amused.

"I'm not," Ryou answered uncertainly.

The Spirit chuckled. "Ah, you could not be more wrong. We share many things, landlord – even a name."

Ryou's eyes widened.

"Did you not know?" The Spirit hummed, his deep brown eyes sparkling. "I was also called Bakura, a long time ago."

Ryou stared at him. "What? When?!"

"In ancient Egypt," the Spirit – Bakura – rumbled in his deep, effortless voice. "When I had my own life, and not this life as a spirit."

Ryou swallowed. Memories flickered around the walls of his soul room – memories that weren't quite his own, but were somehow familiar regardless. Memories of a village called Kul Elna that burned in the night, its people ripped away and tossed into the flames. And one boy who survived, and turned to revenge, and to darkness.

Ryou stared at Bakura, his expression rippling with understanding. "So _that's_ who you are!"

Bakura's smirk was back at his lips, but the burning behind his eyes was as present as ever. "Indeed. Is this payment enough, landlord? My past, for the use of your body?"

Ryou swallowed. His eyes narrowed a little. "Depends."

Bakura arched a brow. "You realise I can just take control by force."

"Yes." Ryou held back a shudder, though his expression hardened just a little. "But you wouldn't be here if you were just going to do that."

Bakura kept his silence, but his brown eyes were sparkling.

Ryou folded his arms. "What are you going to use my body for?"

Bakura's expression instantly closed. "None of your business, host."

"I think it is," Ryou disagreed with a sharp stare, "When you're using _my_ body."

Bakura glowered at him. The soul room shifted around them both, its walls closing in, enfolding Ryou in darkness and shadows and a humming threat of danger. He stepped a silky step closer, and Ryou scuttled back.

"You cannot run from me." Bakura's voice echoed around the soul room, coalescing around Ryou's form, holding him in place no matter how much he tried to run. Ryou wasn't even sure why he bothered – he knew from experience that no matter where he ran, the walls of his soul room were unchanging and ever-present.

Ryou glared. "I don't know why you don't just answer my question."

Bakura sent him a long, testing look, his brown eyes like fire in Ryou's own, twisted face. He still wasn't used to looking at Bakura. It was like looking in one of those warped mirrors at a circus.

"You said you would pay me," Ryou pressed.

Bakura pursed his lips. "And this is the payment you demand?"

Ryou nodded.

Silence reigned in the shadowy chamber, for long enough that Ryou began to doubt if he would ever get an answer. He swallowed, tensing, debating what he could do, whether he could try to wrestle back control whilst Bakura was distracted, until the walls of the soul room closed around him again. Different images flashed across the walls this time. They showed Ancient Egypt again, but slightly different – not memories this time.

Not memories. Plans.

Ryou's eyes widened as he took in exactly what was being shown to him. A confusing welter of images flashed before his eyes, showing him Bakura in the past, but using his past self as a pawn, in a final dangerous shadow game against Yugi's darker alternate. But this time, it wouldn't end well for anyone. This time, there was a demon involved; a demon Bakura planned to awaken.

Ryou stepped back with a shocked gasp.

Bakura's brow was furrowed as he kept tight control of the shadows, of Ryou's body, not allowing him even an iota of space to move. "You see?"

"I see." Ryou drew in a trembling breath, fixing Bakura with a wide-eyed stare. "But … but are you really planning this?"

Bakura's eyes were hard. "I have no choice."

Ryou bit his lip. "…It looks dangerous."

"Nothing I can't handle," Bakura allowed himself a smirk.

Ryou kept silent, but he was biting his inner cheek.

"You can't protect me," Bakura warned, as if sensing his thoughts. He probably was, Ryou realised – they were still in his soul room, after all.

Nonetheless, Ryou bristled. He swallowed hard. "I can tell you I think it's a bad idea."

"Would you dare?" Bakura quirked a brow, taking another threatening step closer. The shadows bunched around them, moving with the spirit, rippling with his emotions.

Ryou folded his arms and tilted his chin up. "I would."

Silence held again as Bakura surveyed him, his mouth settling into a straight line. He clicked his tongue. "It makes no difference. I will have my revenge."

"Even at the risk of yourself?" Ryou pressed gently. "At the risk of your soul?"

"It is not so high a price. My soul was corrupted long ago."

Ryou shook his head. "I don't see you as corrupt."

Bakura sent him a startled stare at that. He withdrew like a cat sprayed with water. "Why on earth not?"

"I don't know," Ryou answered with a little shrug, though a smile played about his lips. "Perhaps because you offered payment. That's an … honourable thing to do."

Bakura kept his gaze level. "A thief has his honour."

"And you were the king of thieves."

Bakura smirked. "Haven't heard that in a long time."

Ryou smiled again, and he dared to slide a step closer. The shadows receded around them a little, giving a small pocket of light in the midst of the soul room. Ryou extended a hand. "Don't do it."

Bakura gave him a long look.

"Come home with me, instead," Ryou continued, his eyes hopeful. "Please."

Bakura grunted. He gestured to the walls of the soul room, where the flickers of Ancient Egypt remained scuttling across the shadows. " _That_ is my home."

Ryou swallowed. "I can't stop you, can I?"

Bakura shook his head. "…If anyone could…"

Ryou blinked.

Bakura sighed, his exterior crumbling for a moment. He scrubbed his hand over his face, groaning. "If anyone could stop me, it would be you."

Ryou felt a small shock run through him. He allowed hope to reign in his eyes for another moment before sensing that Bakura was not going to give up, and then he sighed, closing his eyes. "Alright. I'll help you, then."

Bakura's surprise echoed through the soul room. "You'll what?"

"Help you." Ryou opened his eyes again to find Bakura looking straight at him. He stepped forwards briskly. "I can get Yugi and the others to Egypt. Or at least find out when they're going."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "I can do that myself."

"But they trust me," Ryou pointed out, "And I know this city. At least let me direct you."

Bakura growled. "And why would you help me, now?"

Ryou paused for a moment, but then slipped a step closer, until he could lace his fingers with the spirit's. He sighed. "Because I think you're right. And you deserve a chance at revenge."

Silence hovered for another moment, in which Ryou felt the spirit move closer. His touch was barely-there, translucent, like the spirit he was, but it was more real to Ryou than anything he felt outside.

Lips pressed to Ryou's forehead.

"Yes, Ryou. Yes, I would like your help."


End file.
